OTHER VIEWS. THE READERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON CHEERLEADING.

Easy money

May 01, 2004|By Marcel Kerr.

PALOS HEIGHTS — As a sports official licensed by the Illinois High School Association, I must take grave offense at Rick Morrissey's cheerleading column.

When I began refereeing 10 years ago, I did so to put a few bucks in my pocket. I started with basketball because I knew the most about it; I picked up football later because it was my favorite sport; and I added baseball because there was a severe shortage of umpires. Last year I tacked on volleyball because I thought it to be the easiest sport to officiate.

It was stealing, almost like having a government job.

Sure, those guys who work swimming and track don't do much, but you never know when those starter guns will misfire. Volleyball is the place to be, and the games actually can be pretty exciting.

But now that cheerleading is an official sport, guess what they need? Officials! And I want to be the first to sign up.

All I have to do is sit in a chair, watch a couple of routines and collect the same check I would if I ran up and down a court for two hours? I've always said I'd like to get paid to do nothing; this is my chance.